I think all moderators should use their real names and use their photo as their avatar. This makes their moderation more personal and familiar to the posters. What do others think about this issue?

I used my real name myself once for maybe a year or so to remind a couple of members that I was actually human, despite their ongoing attempts to demonize me, and have used my photo intermittently along the way. DNS has also used his real name for the majority of the time he has been at this forum, and has always (to the best of my recollection) appeared in his avatar.

Having done both, I don't think it's at all necessary, and I think the relative degree of anonymity is potentially of value to people who risk being discriminated against in some capacity because of their religious affiliation. I don't mind people knowing I'm Buddhist, but I'd rather future employers not have that information readily available to them either. Unfortunately we live in a society where disgruntled people can easily dox others, and when you moderate a forum, it's inevitable that some recalcitrants will become disgruntled with you, so it's appropriate to allow people to apply whatever level of safeguards they think are necessary. For example, I can speak more freely here than I can on Facebook because of the degree of anonymity, and we want people to be able to say what they want to say here (so long as it's ToS compliant).

In short, people shouldn't be punished for volunteering. Similarly, we don't have any requirements on monastics that they do this either, as we've had experience with a forum that did do that, and we found that it was unfair to be putting extra requirements on monastics... frankly, we should be appreciative that they're here at all... and ditto with our volunteers.

I think all moderators should use their real names and use their photo as their avatar. This makes their moderation more personal and familiar to the posters. What do others think about this issue?

I used my real name myself once for maybe a year or so to remind a couple of members that I was actually human, despite their ongoing attempts to demonize me, and have used my photo intermittently along the way. DNS has also used his real name for the majority of the time he has been at this forum, and has always (to the best of my recollection) appeared in his avatar.

Having done both, I don't think it's at all necessary, and I think the relative degree of anonymity is potentially of value to people who risk being discriminated against in some capacity because of their religious affiliation. I don't mind people knowing I'm Buddhist, but I'd rather future employers not have that information readily available to them either. Unfortunately we live in a society where disgruntled people can easily dox others, and when you moderate a forum, it's inevitable that some recalcitrants will become disgruntled with you, so it's appropriate to allow people to apply whatever level of safeguards they think are necessary. For example, I can speak more freely here than I can on Facebook because of the degree of anonymity, and we want people to be able to say what they want to say here (so long as it's ToS compliant).

In short, people shouldn't be punished for volunteering. Similarly, we don't have any requirements on monastics that they do this either, as we've had experience with a forum that did do that, and we found that it was unfair to be putting extra requirements on monastics... frankly, we should be appreciative that they're here at all... and ditto with our volunteers.

Metta,
Paul.

Paul, I can't argue with anything you've said and I know there will be varying opinions about this, but I did wanted to mention it. I like the idea of putting our money where our photo is. Hiding in any form when you moderate a site like this is not very Buddhist to me. Personal fears still rule and too much is made out of anonymity. I can appreciate it, just sayin'.

Hiding in any form when you moderate a site like this is not very Buddhist to me. Personal fears still rule and too much is made out of anonymity. I can appreciate it, just sayin'.

A tricky issue.

For those who hide their identity , it gives them easy cover to mouth off in various extremist ways, which is unpleasant to the more middle-way participants on this fine forum.

For those who reveal their identity, they will probably gain more credibility within the community of being a "real" person (if they behave and abide by the Forum's totally reasonable Terms Of Service).

But then they will probably face all the modern annoyances and risks of having one's personal privacy taken advantage of (in pretty much any and all ways possible) by unscrupulous corporations who love to profit from selling any such personal information to third parties.

For some reason (that I can't quite put my finger on), I post here as myself, not using an avatar. Maybe nobody would believe that my comments are actually those of a Buddhist monk otherwise.

Subharo Bhikkhu"There is but one taste on this path, the taste of freedom" -The Buddha